Briton Dies From Snake Bite Off Australian Waters

A British man has died from a snake bite while on a fishing trawler where he was pulling up a net. The snake had come up during the hauling of the net in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off Australia’s Northern Territory,

The 23-year-old man, thought to be backpacker, could not be rescued by emergency crew summoned to the trawler, according to the Northern Territory police. Medical emergency service CareFlight attended to the man with supplies and assistance. The trawler sailed to the town of Borroloola, where the man was declared dead.

Australia has 30-70 known species of sea snakes, according to the Australian Institute of Marina Science, reports the BBC. A CNN story adds that at least 32 species have been found in warmer waters off the Northern Territory and Queensland, according to the Marine Education Society of Australasia (MESA).

Experts said it is rare for humans to be bitten by sea snakes, even though they are usually highly venomous. Even when bites are inflicted, they are rarely fatal, as it’s uncommon for snakes to inject a deadly dose. Most bites reportedly occur on fishing trawlers when workers haul up nets, as was the case this time, MESA said on its website.

Blanche D'Anastasi, who researches snakes at James Cook University, said she believed this was the first recorded death from a sea snake in Australia.